St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church of Kenedy had Reverend Gina Frnka as pastor this Third Sunday after Pentecost. Neil Nichols served as the Lay Minister and the Readers were Arthur Clark, John Greve, and David Maitland.

The Collect: BCP 226

O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

The Response: Psalm 146 was led by David Maitland. * (verse 5) “Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; who keeps his promise for ever.”

The First Reading 1 Kings 17:8-16 was read by Arthur Clark. The Lord sent the prophet Elijah to a town where he was told he would meet a widow who would feed him. When he obeyed and asked the widow for water and a morsel to eat, she replied that she would give him water but all the food she had left was a handful of meal. She planned to cook this for herself and son’s last meal, for it was all she had left. Then they would starve. Elijah told her not to be afraid and to go and cook the bread for him and them also. He assured her that the Lord would provide and keep her jar of meal and a jug of oil full until the rains come and provide them with more. She did as she was told, and the promise was fulfilled.

The Second Reading, Galatians 1:11-24, was read by John Greve. Paul told them that the gospel he proclaims is not of human origin; “for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” He related how he travels all around to other lands to reach the Gentiles with God’s Word. He did not go to study with the apostles, but was told by God what to say. People knew him as the one who used to persecute the believers, but now he proclaims his faith in God.

Reverend Frnka read the gospel of Luke 7:11-17. In this account Jesus goes with his disciples to Nain and a crowd followed him. They met up with a group of mourners carrying a bier with a widow’s dead son. This was her only son and now she would be alone in life with no way to survive. Jesus had compassion on the widow and stopped the procession. He then spoke to the son and told him to “rise.” The young man sat up and began to speak. All who witnessed this praised God and spread the news about this great man who they thought must be a prophet.

Reverend Frnka explained that this was an event that happened after Jesus sermon on the plains. She says that Luke’s recordings of the apostles and witnesses are very orderly and precise. This is a narrative told by a believer who wants others to know about Jesus’ great deeds and teachings. This is the second narrative of a series of six that Luke records.

This tells how a parade of life meets up with a parade of death. Jesus and his disciples and the crowd were proclaiming life, while the mourners were saddened by death. Jesus quickly turns the sadness into joy. This was the widow’s only son and she would be left without anyone to care for her. Jesus has compassion on her and, He knows how society will treat her. She would be at her end. His compassion was not for the dead, but for the living. After Jesus revives her son, he gives the son back to her. This is actually giving back her life as well. When Elijah raised someone from the dead, it was through prayer for God to do it. Jesus is God. He raised the boy with his own power. This proves he is not prophet, as the people had assumed. It shows that Jesus is God, he has power, and has focus on how to use it. Jesus was on earth to help the weak.

Saturday afternoon many of the members of St. Matthew’s attended the Requiem Mass for Reverend Lloyd W. Johnson at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in San Antonio. We were all saddened by his passing the Sunday before. We know that God will have compassion on his wife Janie and his family. Reverend Lloyd is now in Christ’s arms and is no longer suffering, but there is mourning for the absence of his life. His life touched and blessed so many people.

On Sunday, June 16, St. Matthew’s will have Reverend Gary Gooch as pastor at the 9 a.m. worship service. Come join us as we worship and celebrate Father’s Day. PIM website.